Door-sill extension for subway-cars.



G. M. SWBDBERG. noon SILL EXTENSION FOB SUBWAY CARS.

APPLIOATIONPILED RAB. 4, 19141 Patented Sept 29, 1914.

3 SHEETP-BKEFI 1.

INVEN TOR 9 /471,511 .M $506806 WITNESSES af iul AU,

A hon/151s G. M. SWEDBERG. DOOR SILL EXTENSION FOR SUBWAY CARS. APPLIGATION FILED NARA, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

G. M. SWEDBERG.

noon SILL-EXTENSION FOR SUBWAY CABS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.4, 1914.

Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

3 8EEE'1S8HEET 3.

w. B M w ATTORNEYS.

CHARLES M. SWEDIBERG, F YONKEBS, NEW YORK.

BOOB-SILL EXTENSION FOR SUBWAY-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 29, 1914.

Application filed March 4,1914. Serial No. 822,305.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, CHARLES M. SWED- nnno, a,citizen of the United States, and a" resident of Yonkers, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have in- I vented a new and Improved Door-Sill Exsubway and elevated railroads where the station platforms are approximately on a level with the car platforms.

More particularly, the invention relates.

to sill extensions at the doors of such cars so as to bridge the gap between the sides of the car and the edge of the station platform in order to avert accident by passengers stepping into a space between the platform and door sills in, entering or leaving the cars.

The invention has forits general objects to improve and simplify the construction and operation of door sill extensions of the character referred to so as to be reliable and'efiicient,in use, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and install and easily manipulated. i

j A further object of the invention is the provision of a door sill extension of such design as to provide for the discrepancy in the level between the car floor and the station platform, while at the same time bridging the gap between the latter and door sills.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a door sill extension which is projectable laterally from the car and retractable into the latter by means under the control of the guardman, such extension being made with an outer section which is yieldingly mounted on the inner or main section, so that if it should accidentally strike the foot of a person standiIfg on the station platform, injury would be less likely to result.

With such objects in view, and ,others which will appear as the. description proceeds, the invention comprises various novel features ofconstruction and arrangement of parts whi h will be setforth with particularity in the following description and claims appended hereto. In the accompan ing drawings, which illustrate one embodlm'ent of the invention,

and wherein similar characters of reference lndicate corresponding arts in all the views Figure 1 is a si e view of a car shown equipped with the sill extensions; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of a car, showing the sill extensions at one side projected and at the other side retracted; Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of one of the sill extensions and the operating means therefor; Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the sill extension; Fig. 5 is a sectional view onthe line 55,- Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a bottom per-- spective view of one of the outer corners ofthe sill extension; Figs. 7 is a detail sectional view on the line 7-7, Fig. 3, but with the sill extension in retracted position; and Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are sectional views on the line 8-8, Fig. 3, with the sill extension in diiferent positions.

Referring to the drawing, A designates an ordinary railway car having end and middle doors 1, 2, and 3, respectively, which are operated in any suitablemanner by a guardman at either end of the. car. The 'sills 4 of the several doors are provided with sill extensions B that are retracted to lie wholly within the car frame while the car is in .motion, but at station platforms, such as 0, Figs. 2, 8, 9 and 10, the sill extensions ,at the station platform side of the car are projected or extended so as to bridge the gap 5 between the edge of the station platform and side of the car, .so that passengers cannot step into this gap. Each sill extension is movable into and ,out of a recess or pocket 6 in the car frame or floor, and any suitable means may be employed for operating the sill extensions, which latter are plate-like elements disposed horizontallyand projectablelaterally from the sides of the car. I v

, The sill extensions B at one side of the car are operated by separate means from that which operates the sill extension at the other side. Any suitable operating means may be empioyed, but in the present instance each sill extension B has inwardly therefrom a short rack transversely of the car, and a pinion 9 meshes with the rack to move the same for projecting or retracting the extension. A rack bar or equivalent means 10 extends longitudinally of the car and has-rack teeth 11 which mesh with pinions 12 fastened to the pinions 9, so that by longitudinal movement of the master rack bar 10, the

extending 8 disposed rack bars of the sill extensions are actuated. The master rack bars are intended to be actuated by the guardman at the end of the car, preferably just before he opens the doors, so that the sill extension will be in extended position when the passengers are ready to step off or on the car, and the sill extensions will be retracted just after the doors are closed. The means shown in the present instance for enabling the guardman to operate each master rack bar 10 comprises a shaft 13 that is mounted at such a point where it can be conveniently operated by the guardman while he is in a position to open and close the doors. This shaft has an operating handle 14 and is connected by a chain and sprocket mechanism 15 or equivalent means with the pinions 9 and 12 nearest thereto. Thus, when the guardman operates the crank or actuator 14 the sprocket and chain mechanism 15 causes the master rack bar 10 to move longitudinally and prov ject the sill extensions simultaneously or retract them.

Each sill extension shown in Figs. 3 and 4: comprises two plate-like sections b and b which are slidably connected by the outer I section I)" being slidable in guideways 16 toreduce this liability on the inner or main section b. The outer section is backed by spring means 17 fastened to the section b and so arranged as to permit the outer section b to yield inwardlyin case the sill extension while being projected should accidentally strike a passenger while standing on the platform, and to injury the outer edge of the outer section b is provided with a plurality of rollers 18 or other guard devices. The sections 6 and b have slots 19 through which extend fixed stops 20 disposed vertically and fastened in the recess or pocket 6 for the sill extension, such stops serving to limit the outward movement of the sill extension, as shown in Fig. 3. Antifriction rollers 21 may be arranged to engage the ends and bottom of the sill extension to insure easy movement, and for this purpose the sill extension may have rollers 22 which roll along the upper surface of the recess 6 for the sill extension. This upper surface 23 of the recess 6 serves to maintain the sill extension horizontal during the projecting movement thereof, and when the sill extension has about reached the end of its outward movement, the rollers 22 ride on an inclined surface 23 which allows the sill extension to tilt from the position shown in Fig. 8 to that shown in Fig.

9, the outer end of the sill extension resting on the station platform 0. It will be understood that the car floor varies from the level of the car platform, being usually higher than the latter, and therefore, the dropping or tilting of the sill extension whenit is flly projected is an important n \Vhile it is preferable to support the sill extension when in operative position, both by the car and station platform, it is possible to support the sill extension wholly on the car, but in both instances it is essential that the sill extension will be projectable far enough from the side of the car to amply bridge the gap between such car and the station platform and overlap the latter to any suitable extent.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and method of operation will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the apparatus which I new consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A car having a sill extension normally retracted within the car body and movable successively outwardly from the body and then to an inclined position, means for moving the sill extension inwardly and outwardly, and guiding means for the sill for permitting the latter to move to and from an inclined position when projected.

2. In a railway car, a sill extension mounted at a level above a station platform, means for projecting the sill laterally from the car, and means for permitting the outer end of the sill extension to drop and rest on the station platform.

3. In a railway car, a sill extension movable laterally into and out of the body of the .car, and an operating means hingedly connected with the sill extension for permitting the latter to tilt downwardly when in projected position, to rest on a station platform. I

4. In a railway car, a sill extension for bridging the gap between the car and the station platform, means for projecting the sill extension 2. distance greater than the gap, whereby the sill extension will be supported by the car and station platform, and means guiding the extension while moving outwardly, and thereafter permitting the extension to swing to an inclined position.

5. In a railway car, a sill extension for bridging the gap between the car and the station platform, and means for projecting the sill extension a distance greater than the gap, whereby the sill extension will be supported by the car and station platform, said iill extension having a yielding outer mem- 6. In a railway ar, a sill extension for bridging the gap between the car and the station platform, and means for projecting and retracting the sill extension, said sill extension consistin of an inner section and an outer section sli ably connected, and yielding means behind the outer section to permit the latter to yield inwardly.

7. In a railway car, a sill extension for bridging the gap between the car and the station platform and means for projecting and retracting the sill extension, said sill extension consisting of an inner section and an outer section slidably connected, yielding means behind the outer. section to permit the latter to yield inwardly, and guard devices on the outer edge of the outer section.

8. In a railway car, a sill extension, an actuating element, a hinge between the element and sill extension, means for projecting and retracting the sill extension, a surface with which the sill extension engages while being projected and retracted, whereby the sill extension is maintained horizontal, and means for permitting the said sill extension to swing down when in fully pro jected position, to rest on a station platform. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses CHARLES M. SWEDBERG. WVitnesses:

FRANK H. CoYNE, EIFFEL B. GALE. 

